Stock-spreading flow box



Ma 14,' 1929 E.. H. STREETER STOCK SPREADING FLOW Box Filed Jan. 8, 192'? 3 Sheets-Sheet Mw My 1929 E. M. swam-ER STOCK SPREADING FLOW BOX 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 8, 1927 o INVENTOR BY "m/ MW, www wf ATTORNEY j. Patented May 14, 1929. t

.d UNITED STATES 'PATENToFFlca EDWIN E. smal-mman, or cLooUET,.mNNEsoTA, Assrsnoa 'ro'wooD coirv'nasron comrANY, A coaPonATIoir or DELAWARE STOCK-SPREADING FLOW BOX:

Application filed January 8, 1927. Serial No. 159,834.

In the manufacture of certain types of wall board the stock to be used ismixed with water to form a slurry containing about 95% water and this slurry is flowed on to a screen 't or Fourdriner wire in a layer of substantially uniform thickness and passedthrough a press to remove a large portion of the water and compress the layer intov a compact sheet or board. The damp sheets are then io passed through a drier to produce ya iinal Xproduct of the desired moisture content. The

screen or wire on which the stock iows has an intermittent movement to permit the necessary pause for the pressing operation.

ia It is essential that a substantially level layer or stock be formed on the screen in order to obtain a uniform product when this layer of stock is pressed." Due Vto the intermit-tent movement of the screen, it isnecesao saryto control the leed of stock to obtain this uniform layer.

' The"`object of the present invention is to provide a How box that will automatically lorm a uniform layer of stock on the screen i, an at all times. I provide a flow box that moves.

intermittently, v the How box being moved while the screen is stationary. It is mounted on a track extending transversely ofthescreen and .is moved intermittently while the screen 3o is at rest to deposit alayer of stock on the portion oit the screen that has just moved into position beneath the path of travel of the dow bon. The flow box then remains at rest at one side of the screen while the sec- :55 tion ol thescreen on which the layer of stock has been placed,` moves forwardly toward l' the press and when the screen stops, the flow bon moves automatically to the other side to deposit another layer of stock.l

' Suitable means are provided for automatically startin and stopping the flow box' and coordinating rits movements with those ol/the screen. Various devices may be einployed lorthispurposeand controlled by Lia a portion ol the screen or other apparatus associated therewith so thatthe feed mechanisrn ol the llow boxwill be actuated when the screen is at rest.

By employing .a moving flow bon, I obtain a layer ot stoch otuniorrn thickness through @lll out the entire width olv the'screen. At the Vsame time, the stock is permitted to drain uni'lformly bollore the] screen is agalnlput .in motion and the pulpl formation is not disturbed by the starting and stopping of the screen. Y f

In the accompanying drawings I have shown one-formy of the invention. Fig. 1 is a transverse, vertical, sectional. view 0f the Fordrinier wire or screen showing the flow box in section.

Fig. 2. is-a' similar view at right angles to Fig. 1,S viewed from the right in Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, viewed from the left 0f Fig. 1,' 65

Fig.4 is an enlarged, sectional view on line 4--4 of Fig. 1. K

` Fig. 5 is an enlarged, sectional view in the same plane as F ig: l.

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of the track on which the flow4 box travels on line '6-6 of Fig. 1. A

Fig.' 7 is a similar view on line 7-7 of Fi 1, and

`ig. 8 is a diagrammatic view of the electric circuits by means of which the movement of the How box is controlled.

Referring to the`drawings the reference numeral l designatesthe wire or screen of a Fourdrinien machine of the usual construction onwhich the stock is laid in a substantially even layer and delivered to a press (not shown) Where it is compacted to the desired degree. From the press the stock is delivered to a drier. The machine-may be employed in the manufacture of wall board of the type described and claimed in the 'cof pending application of Howard F. Weiss.: Serial #470,967, now Patent No. 1,631,171 granted June 7, i927, or it may be employed in the manufacture of otherlibrous products in which the fiber stock is formed in a slurry and laid on4 the screen prior, tokpressing and drying The wire or screen is in the form of an endless belt passing overiend rolls, 95 2, to which power may-be applied in any suitable manner (not shown) to drive the screen.

As stated, the screen is driven intermittently in the pressing operation. @n the upper or operative Hight, the screenis supported bylmg a plurality of smaller rolls? 3. A drain box, d, is placed under the screen to receive the water that drains from the stock and this drain box is provided with an outlet pipe, li..

. The iiovv box which forms the subject matter ol the present invention, consists of a receptacle, 6, which may be of any desired width to place a layer of stoclr ot a desired size on the screen. The fiow box is substantially rectangular in cross section at its up` l cated at 9 to support a flat bottom plate, 10.

This fiat bottom plate serves as a support for the motors of the flow box and also serves as a leveling device for the layer of pulp placed on the screen.

A pair of tracks, 11, extend transversely of the screen at a suitable distance from each other. These tracks are supported on transverse beams, 12, mounted on suitable supporting members, 13, arranged at opposite sides of the screen. The tracks are vertically adjustable to permit the iow box to be raised and lowered with respect to the screen and thus vary the thickness ot the layer of stock deposited on the screen. At suitable intervals wedge blocks, 14, are mounted on the beams, 12. Similar wedge blocks, 15, are

' arranged over the blocks, 14, and are laterally adjustable. The rails, 11, are supported on the blocks, 15, so that they will be raised and lowered when these blocks are adjusted on the blocks, 14. The blocks, 15, may be adjusted by means of threaded rods, 16, passing through threaded openings in arms or` brackets, 17, carried by thebeams, 12. The rails are retained in proper alignment when being adjusted by means of guides, 18. which are arranged lat suitable intervals and which may be formed ot' angle irons secured to the beams, 12. p

Suitable means are provided for driving the flow box. As shown, a motor, 1S), is mounted on the lower plate, 10, and this motor is adapted to drive a shaft, 20, through suitable reduction gearing. 21. The ends of the shaft extend beyond the How box (sce Fig.. 3) and are provided with pinions, 22, adapted to mesh with rack bars, 23, which are coextensive in length with the rails, 11, and are supported in any suitable manner as by the beams, 12. Adjacent the top of the flow box, it is provided with arms, 24, which extend outwardly and form bearings for a pair of shafts, 25, arranged in the front and rear of the flow box. Wheels or rollers, 26, are mounted on these shafts and are adapted to travel on the tracks, 11. As shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings the rollers on one side of the iiow box and the corresponding track, 11, may be provided with fiat facesand the rollers on the other side may be provided with grooves to receive a V shaped rail. 1t

Stock is delivered to the iow box from a reservoir (not shown) through a feed pipe, 27, which is connected to a transverse 'feed pipe, 28, by means of a swivel joint, 29, and the transverse feed pipe., 28, is connected to the outlet pipe, 30, by a swivel joint, 31. The swivel joints, 29. and 31 and the pipe,'28, permit the movable outlet pipe, 30, which is mounted on the top o't the tlow box to travel with the How box and be connected to the stationary feed pipe, 27. The feed pipe, 30, is connected to a receiving chamber, 32, in the top of the fiow box (See Fig. l) and the bottom ot' this chamber is provided with a screen, 33, through which stock passes into the flow box. A mixer or beating wheel is mounted in the flow box and is suitably spaced from the rounded bottoni wall. The beater wheel is formed of iron spiders, 34, mounted on a. suitable shaft, 35. and provided with staves, 3G, forming a cylinder. Angle irons, 37, are. bolted to the st aves and form pockets for agitating the stock and retarding and regulating its passage through the slot, 8, in the bottom ot' the flow box. The shaft, 35, is carried by bearings, 3S, which are slidably mounted in bearing boxes, 39, to p ermit adjustment of the distance between the beater and the bottom of the How box. These bearings are carried b v rods, 40, which are threaded adjacent. their upper ends and pass through threaded openings in clips or brackets, 41, mounted on the tlow box (see Fig. 2 Bevelled gears, 42, are arranged on the upper ends of the rods, 40, and mesh with bevelled gears, 43, carried by an adjusting shaft, 44. This shaft projects beyond one side of the flow box and is provided with an operating handle, 45. The two bearings, 38, may thus be simultaneously adjusted by turning the handle, 45, and the shaft, 44. On each side of the outlet opening I pro vide a flap, 46, which may be made of rubber or other flexible material and when the box is traveling in either direction the front. flap is adapted to assume the position shown at the left in Fig. 5 of the drawings to prevent the stock from ruiming ahead of the. flow box. The tiaps are adapted to swing upwardly and the rear Hap is swung to the position shown at the right in Fig. 5 ot the drawings by the stock passing through the opening, 8. On one side of the low box, adjacent the end of the screen or wire farthest from the press the flow of stock is controlled by a deckel, 47, tioating on the screen. This deckel may be supported in any suitable manner. On the other side of the flow box the iow is controlled by a deckel, 4S, which is carried by the bottom ot the flow box and projects downwardly toward the screen. As shown the deckel may be secured to the adjacent side wall of the flow box by bolts, 49. or other suitable fastening elements. Deckels, 50, are arranged at opposite sides of the screen and when the ilow box passes over these deckels which are near the ends of its travel, the pulp lows into the return box, 51, from which it is returned to the reservoir, (not shown) through pipes, 52

v The beater wheel rotates at all times and is driven from a motor, 53, supported on the bottom plate, 10, on the opposite side from the motor, 19. This motor drives a shaft, 54, through suitable reduction gears, 55, which in turn drives a shaft, 56, through gears, 57. The end of the shaft, 56, projects beyond the side of the box and is provided with a sprock= et adapted to receive a chain, 58, which passes over a sprocket on one end of the-shaft, 35, (sce Fig. 2). Stock is'delivered to the flow box fat all times. When the low box isin motion the stock delivered is in excess of the amount deposited on the screen. When the how box is stationary, no stock is deposited on the screen and the excess from the low box is delivered through 'a'chute, 59, to a box or trough, 60, at one side of the flow box whence it is returned through the pipe, 61, to the reservoir.'l f i `l The' motor, 19, is a reversible motor controlled by suitable means tp drive the How box from one side of the screen to the other and co-ordinate its movements with the movements of the screen so that it will be at rest when the screen is in motion and will travel across the screen when the screen pauses at the end of each operation. Current flows i trom the line through wires, 79, 81 and 84, to

a reversing switch, A, and this switch is provided with a pair of reversing coils, 80and 89, which control it. A pair of cams, 62, and

68,-are mounted on a' shaft, 64, which rotates continuously. The shaft 64 may be part of the press or4 other coordinated apparatus so that the coordinated movement of the screen,

and flow box will be obtained by closing the switches controlled bv'cams 62 and 63. These cams are provided with notches, 65, and are adapted to energize the coils, 80 and 89, respectively., A The shaft travels 180 for each movement 'of theilow box'.

' switches are'each provided with a movable dog, 66, adapted to enter the notch,65, and when oneof these dogs enters the notch as indicated to the right ofFig; 8 of the drawings, vthe arm 66 contacts' with a stationary contact, 67 Tliel contacts, connected to lead wires,

tively.F -These lead wirespass'through contacto, 70 and 71,. on a manually controlled switch controlled by a handle, 72, and the lead wire, 68, is then connected to a con-- nection, 73, extending to a contact-element, 74, of a limit switch and adapted tol be engaged by aniovable contact element, 7 4. The limit switch is arranged adjacent the end of the path of travel of the flow box. The limit switch is provided with a second contact elethe connections to The starting ment, 75, and is also provided with an arm, 76,'adapted to be enfraged by an` arm, 77,

rent from the line flows through these wires and a common wire, 84, to the motor, 19, to revolve it in one direction. The reversing coil, 80, is only momentarily energized from the line side of the switch as the revolution of shaft, 64, opens the cam switch, but as soon as the switch is closed the coil is energized 82, is connected to a movable switch element, 106, by a wire, 82', and when coil, l80, is enercarried on the end ofthe How box. From the sol gized, it engages a stationary contact, 105. I

.From the contact, 105, current Hows through wire, 150, to the other element, 75, of the limit switch. From the limit switch current flows through wire, 151, to contact, 152, of a hand switc 110, which is normally losed, and from contact, 153, ofy the hand switch through a wire, 154, to the coil, 80. Coil, 80, is thus in series with the limit switch and hand switch, 110. y

The cam, 63, and its cam shaft are likewise adapted to momentarily energize reversing 5 coil, 89, through lead wires, 85 and 86. These wires also pass through switch elements of the manually operated switch 72. The wire, 85, being connected to a switch element, 87, and the wire,86, being connected to 'a switch element, 88. From the switch element, 87, the wire, 85, is connected to coil, 89, thence to the line wire, 81. I posite the coil, 80, and is adapted to control the reversing switch, A, of the motor to revolve the motor in the opposite direction. The switch element, `88, is connected to a lead wire, 90, extending to a limit switch, 91, arrangedat the opposite end of the path of travel of the liow box and connected The coil, 89, is arranged opto an arm, 92;, which will be engaged by the y arm, 77, on the oppositeend of the flow box. The opposite side of the limit switch is provided with a-.conneetion, 93,'connected to the wire, 78, andjthence. to line wire, 79. Line w1re, 79, is provided with albranch, 94, and line wire, 81, is similarly provided with a branch, 95,Y connectedto stationary contacts,

85 from the load side. As shown switch element, f

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means of which the coil, 89, is energized from the load side of the reversing switch after the switch has been closed, and the cam switch opened by movement ot cam, 63. Switch, T-108, is connected to thesccond element ot limit switch, 91, by a. wire, 155, and from the limit switch current iows through wire, 100, to hand switch, 101, thence through wire, 102, to the coil, 89.

IVhen washing the flow box, or when it is to be disconnected from the screen for any other purpose, the cam switches, 66-67, are opened and the motor is controlled by the hand switches', 101 and 110. The hand switches are provided with vmeans tor energizing the coils from the line side of the rcversing switch in place of the cam switches, G2 and (33. As shown switch, 110, is provided with a second movable contact above the stationary contact, 153, adapted to connect it to a stationary contact, 150. Current then flows from line wire, 81, through coil, 80, wire, 154, contact, 153, contact, 156, wire, T, to wire, 73, vthence through the limit switch element 74', inthe manner heretofore described and back to the line wire, 79. likewise be used to initially energize coil, 89, if the limit switch, 91, is closed.

l As the shaft, 64, revolves, the switches, 66-67, are alternately closed. Vhen the switch to the right is closed the coil, 80, is energized moving the contacts, 82 and S3, into operative position and connecting the circuit through line wire, 7 9, S1 and 84, to the flow box motor, 19, to revolve it in one direction. The circuit is opened by the limit switch,.74- 75, when the flow box reaches the end of its path of travel. The other dog, GG, then drops into the notch, 65, of the cam, (i3. The coil, 89, is then energized, reversing the lmain switch and the two phase current then flows through the switch elements, 98 and 99, from the wires, 79 and 81, and through the common wire, 84, which is closed at all times to the motor, 19, reversing the direction of the motor whence it travels in the opposite direction until stopped by the limit switch, 91. When the fiowbox is operated by hand the cam switches (i6-67, are cut out and the coils, 80 and 89, energized by the hand switches, 101 and 110.

As the flow box travels across the screen, a layer of stock is deposited on the screen as indicated in Fig. 1 ot the drawings. As the flow box travels in either direction the flap, 46, in front assumes the operative position shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings to prevent the stock from flowing in front. of the box.

rThe flat bottom plate, 10, of the low box smoothes the upper surface of the layer of stock. The thickness of this layer may be adjusted by vertically adjusting the tracks, 11, by means of the wedges, 14 and 15, which raise or lower the entire flow box. The beater wheel in the flow boxmay likewise be ad- Switch, 101, may

justed through the shaft, 44, which is operated by the handle, 45. Excess stock is returned to the reservoir from the How box through the chute, 59, and the stock which liows over the edges of the screen is caught in the return boxes, 51. The deckels, 47, and 4S, at each side of the flow box control the flow oi stock longitudinally of the -machine and the edge of the board on the screen ahead of the one being formed also aids in confining the stock. Vhen the How box is at rest, one limit switch is open, and as current from phase wire, 79, must pass through one of the limit switches before the correspondingr reversing coil can be energized, only one movement of the fiow box is possible, namely, in the direction controlled by the closed limit switch, which rotates the motor in the right direction. One element of each of the hand switches, 101 and 110, is also in series with one element of each corresponding limit switch. This safeguards the liow box for over travel, as it is impossible to move it beyond the limits of its normal travel, or in the wrong direction by either the cam switch or hand switch.

Various fibrous products may be made by means of this apparatus. In addition to wall board, composition building boards, insulating boards and other composition materials may be made. At the present time these products are made on a continuously movin screen on which the pulp is deposited, then passed through squeeze. or suction rollers to eliminate some ofthe water, and then through a dryer without severing the pulp until it emerges from the dryer in the form of a finished product, when it is cut into sheets of desired sizes. So far as I am aware, my process of forming a fiber mat on a screen without the use of a mould, and then moving the screen intermittently between the platens of a press to remove a large portion of the water, is novel.

I claim:

1. In combination with an intermittently moving screen, a flow box adapted to travel transversely of the screen, a rotating shaft, and switches controlled by the shaft to actuate the How box when the screen is at rest.

2. In combination with an intermittently moving screen, a iow box adapted to travel transversely of the screen, a rotatin shaft, cams mounted on said shaft, and switc es controlled by said cams and adapted to actuate the flow box.

3. In combination with an intermittently moving screen, a flow box adapted to travel transversely of the screen, a rotating shaft, switches controlled by the shaft to actuate the flow box when the shaft is at rest, and limit switches arranged at the ends of the path of travel of the flow box.

4. In combination with an intermittently moving screen, a pair of tracks extending transversely thereof, a flow box adapted to travel on said tracks, and means for controlling the movement of the flow box.

5. In combination with an intermittently moving screen, a pair of tracks extending transversely thereof, a flow box adapted to travel on said tracks, and a motor carried by the flow box to cause said flow box to travel on said tracks.

b. In combination with an intermittently moving screen, a pair of tracks extending transversely thereof, aflow box adapted to travel on said tracks, a motor carried by the How box to cause said How b`ox to travel on said tracks, a rotating shaft and switches actuated by said shaft to control the movement of the oyv box.. l

7.. In combination with an intermittently moving screen, a pair of tracks extending transversely of the screen, a flow box, rollers mounted on the flow box and adapted to travel on said tracks, rack bars arranged parallel to said tracks, adrive shaft carried by the iloW box, and pinions mounted on said shaft and meshing with said rack bars.

8. In combination with a movable screen, n. movable ilow box mounted over the screen, said flow box being provided with a flat bottom plate to form a. level surface on a layer El stock deposited on said screen by said flow 9. In combination with a movable screen, a movable How box mounted over the screen, said flow box being provided with a ilat botto plate to form a level surface on a layer of stock deposited on said screen by said How box and means for adjusting said How box with respect to said screen to regulate the thickness of the layer of deposited stock.'

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lb. In combination with a movable screen, a movable llow box adapted to deliverstock to -said screen, said llow box being provided with an outlet slot in the bottom thereof, and flaps arranged adjacent said slot, one of which is adapted to bridge the s ace between the flow box and the screen as t e flow box travels in either direction to prevent the stock from the How box from liowing in front of it as it travels over said screen.

llfIn combination with an intermittently oving screen, an intermittently moving flow box means for continuously delivering stock to tbe-flow box and means for returnlng excess stock to the reservoir. f

l2. In combination with a movable How box, a stationary feed pipe, a connecting ipe,

- and swivel joints arranged at each end o said connecting pipe.. l v y 13. In combination with an intermittently moving screen and an intermittentl moving ,to jnew box, means for continuously elivering 'V stock to said flow box, a return box arranged on the side of the How box. and a chute conj necting thel flow box to the return-box.

14. In combination with a movable screen, a movable flow box adapted to travel over said screen, and means for adjusting said flow box with respect to said screen to regulate the thickness of the layer of stock deposited.

15. In combination with a movable screen, a pair of tracks arranged over said screen, a flow box adapted to travel on said tracks to deposit a layer'of stock on the screen, and means for adjusting the height of said tracks to regulate the thickness of said layer of stock.

16. In a device of the character described,

a screen, a flow box arranged over said screen and having an outlet slot in the bottom of the flow box, and a pair of hinged flaps mounted on opposite sides of said slot, one of which is adapted to be-moved into-operative position as the flow box travels in either direction.

17. In a device of the character described, a. screen, a flow box having a flat bottom plate to form a level layer of stock on the screen, and a drive motor supported on said plate.

18. In combination with a screen, a How box adapted to travel over said screen, means for reversing the direction of travel of said flow box, and means for stopping said ilow box at the end of each movement.

19. In combination with a screen, a flow box adapted -to travel over said screen, switches for controlling the movement of said flow box, `and means for automatically actu` ating said switches.

' .20. In combination with a screen, a How box adapted-to travel over said screen, switches for controlling the movement of said flow box and cams for actuating said switches.

21. In combination with a screen, a flow box adaptedL'to travel over said screen, automatically operated switches to control the movement of said llow box in either direction, and limitswitches to stop said How box at the end of each movement.

22. In combination with an intermittently moving screen, a ilow box adapted to travel transversely of said screen, means for reversing the direction of travel ofsaid flow box; and means for stopping said flow ybox at the end of each movement.

23. In combination with an intermittently moving screen, a flow box adapted to travel transverselyV of the screen, means for driving said flow box in either direction, automatic means for controlling the actuation ofsaid rlow box, and means `for-limiting the movement of said How box in either dlrection.

f In testimony whereof I affix my si EDWIN H. STREE R.

ature. 

